Snow Globe
by AgentOfAngst
Summary: Beast Boy finds that he's the only one who remembered Christmas. Final day of my 12 days of Christmas, Merry Christmas!


**Merry Christmas guys! This is my last day of the Twelve Days of Christmas.** **It truly has been a great run.** **I definitely want to try this again if life allows, and I hope that at least one of these stories makes you smile. It's also worth noting that this is the second year in a row that I've rollerolled out a Teen Titans story on Christmas, so go check out Gizmo Claus if that sounds interesting to you. And have a very, merry Christmas, or whatever you celebrate.**

Christmas had been a big deal to his family. Before he became Beast Boy, before he'd lost his parents, before everything happened, it had been a big deal to them. He remembered baking cookies to leave out for Santa, decorating the Christmas tree knowing gifts would always magically appear, going door to door singing carols for neighbors he only saw once a year. He remembered that his mom's favorite song was White Christmas and his dad's was Jingle Bells, though his favorite had always been Silver Bells. He remembered that no matter what the rest of the year had brought, for Christmas their family felt like it belonged on a Christmas card, or in a snowglobe. So he'd started a collection of snow globes, to tide himself over until the glad tidings rang once more. He would pull out his favorites when things were bad and give them a shake to remember that in December things would be better. That in December their family would be whole once more.

But his Christmas card family was gone, along with any magic they'd brought along, and now he was the color of a Christmas tree, and the tidings were less than glad.

Beast Boy had at least assumed they would do _something_ for Christmas. Even if it was something small. Like hanging a wreath, or doing a gift exchange, or even just listening to Mixmas. Nothing. Everyone was so busy being a Superhero that they forgot the season. BB had gotten small gifts for everyone, but no one seemed to realize it was Christmas, even on Christmas Eve. He went to his room and dug around for his snowglobes. He still had a full box, but he'd wrapped one up for each of his friends. Star got the brightest and most festive landscape, Robin got a classic with Santa Claus and a Coca-Cola. Cyborg got a snowglobe Beast Boy had tracked down online, with a Robot in a Santa hat. And he'd picked out one of his absolute favorites for Raven. A stunning and serene cityscape, covered in snow. He'd written, "From: Santa," on every present. He hoped they'd ask him about the presents, so he could tell them about snow globes, and tradition. He hoped desperately that this hodgepodge of characters could be his new Christmas card family. But twas the season, he supposed, to feel less connected than ever. He went to sleep on Christmas Eve loosely holding on to a Snow Globe.

Everyone got the gifts he'd left by their doors, but no one treated the 25th as if it was anything more than a day. They took down a supervillain, just like any other day of the week. Everyone was super busy, no one had time for a family Christmas. Beast Boy slipped away, going sullenly to his room. He flopped down on his bed and began shaking a snow glove with vigor. He watched the fake snow on the fake landscape and everything felt fake. He didn't realize that tears were slipping down his face. Had he staked his fond memories on something meaningless, on something inconsequential? Something that became less magical as the years went by, and more corporate and lifeless? Something no one else in his life cared about? Was his Christmas card family nothing more than paper? It was starting seem like there was no real magic at Christmas, like there never had been. It was just his childish nostalgia telling him that it was supposed to be special. He let the glittery snow settle and set the snow globe down, angry at himself for getting so worked up over nothing. He knew Santa hadn't been the one taking bites out of the cookies, and leaving prints in the snow. He had never realized that for most people the magic was discarded with the wrapping paper. This is what he'd looked forward to all year. The one perfect day when his imperfect family could pretend to be perfect. But it had never been any more real than the snow in his snow globes.

"Beast boy, suit up," Robin ordered over the comms.

"Coming." He grabbed his gear and abandoned the snow globe, heading out to take down another bad guy, dejected by his recent realizations. He had only to step into the living room to be absolutely floored. It was like walking into a winter wonderland, the drab room had become festive, and the air smelled like Christmas trees and Christmas cookies.

"Merry Christmas, Beast Boy. Thanks for the snow gloces. Sorry, we all forgot about Christmas," Robin said.

"This is awesome..." BB said, staring up at the massive Christmas tree. Cy tossed him an ornament so he could help decorate the tree and Star brought him a Christmas cookie. Raven lurked in the back, holding her snow globe. When he made his way over to her, she gave him a sliver of a smile.

"What's so special about snow globes?" She asked and he began to explain his collection, a smile filling his face.

"Snow globes represent family," he began.

"Oh yeah?" Raven asked.

"Yeah. When I was younger, the snow globes were more real to me than my actual family. When I was younger I thought that if I could just make it to Christmas, my family would be alright."

"Well, you have a family with us, now," Raven said, shaking her snow globe. He leaned against her and watched the snow fall in the little city, feeling at peace. She was right. The past didn't matter, he had his family, and it was better than any snow globe in the world.


End file.
